Oyster-fork.



. PORTER.

BR FORK.

AAAAAAAAA 011' FILED 001: a 1911.

1,028,961 Patented June 11, 1912.

JAMES B. PORTER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

OYSTER-FORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1912.

Application filed October 3, 1911. Serial No. 652,528.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES B. PORTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oyster- Forks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates tooyster forks and my object is to produce an article of this character by which oysters and clams served on the half-shell, can be readily severed from the shells in the event that they'have not been completely freed from the shell before being served, and my object is to produce a simple and efiicient fork of this character which can be manufactured at low cost and which is of ornamental appearance.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which- 7 Figure 1, is a perspective view of an oyster fork embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is an enlarged central longitudinal section of the same.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 1 indicates the handle and 2 the body of the fork, these parts being of any suitable or preferred construction and configuration.

3 indicates a cutter arranged at the heel end of the body and extending downwardly and forwardly with respect to the tines of the body. Ihis cutter is in the form of an arm or plate rounded at its front or cutting edge as shown in Fig. 1 and preferably of concavo-convex form in cross section to give it the required stiffness and rigidity and strength. I

The fork is used in the customary manner, but should the diner attempt to lift an oyster or clam fro-m the half shell which has not been entirely severed therefrom, he can readily and while the oyster or clam is still impaled upon the fork, exert a slight and almost imperceptible downward and forward pressure upon the latter and thus cause the cutter to readily complete the detachment of the oyster or clam from the shell, the operation of impaling and lifting the oyster being performed by practically a single movement of the fork.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced an oyster fork embodying the features of advantage enumerated as desirable and I wish it to be understood that while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the invention I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction shown and described as obvious modifications will suggest them selves to one skilled in the art.

I claim:

An oyster fork provided under the connected ends of its tines with a downwardly and forwardly extending cutter having a substantially semi-circular cutting edge and of concavo-convex form in cross section with the concave side adjacent the tines of the fork, the said cutter diverging forwardly with respect to the tines.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES B. PORTER.

G. Y. Trronrn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

